India Court Agrees to Hear Plea to Lower Juvenile Age

By

R. Jai Krishna

Feb. 4, 2013 8:36 a.m. ET

NEW DELHI--India's top court Monday agreed to hear a petition to reduce the age of a juvenile in India's court system to 16 years from 18, an issue which has been in the spotlight due to the alleged role of a 17-year-old in the gang rape and murder of a woman in New Delhi in December.

The juvenile in that case is facing trial in a juvenile court and faces a maximum sentence of three years. Five other suspects, all adults, face the...